Adolescent Rehabilitation Program for Spinal Cord Injury
It's hard enough being a teenager. But what about being a teen who has to cope with the effects of a life-altering accident or illness? At Shepherd Center, medical treatment for adolescents with spinal cord or brain injuries focuses on returning teens to the highest level of functioning and independence possible.

Experience Counts
Studies show that patients are more likely to experience fewer medical complications, achieve more functional independence and return to school and community if they go to a hospital that treats a high volume of catastrophically injured patients. Because all of our resources are devoted to treating central nervous system injuries and illnesses, Shepherd Center has more experience treating teenagers with these kinds of catastrophic brain and spinal cord injuries than general rehabilitation facilities. This experience – more than 125 youngsters age 12 to 21 each year – is reflected in our outcomes, which exceed national averages.

The Adolescent Rehabilitation Program at Shepherd Center
Hundreds of teen patients are leading longer and better quality lives because of the acute care, rehabilitation and medical and surgical care available at Shepherd Center. Our adolescent track begins in the intensive care unit and focuses on a healthy lifestyle and the highest level of functioning and independence possible.

It includes:

•	An interdisciplinary approach to addressing the teen patient’s special need for independence, socialization, age-appropriate activities, security and privacy.
•	A physician-led, 10-member treatment team dedicated to adolescent patients.
•	A high priority on the involvement of family and friends.
•	An emphasis on rooming teen patients together.
•	Education and training in problem solving, stigma management, self-advocacy, drug and alcohol awareness, self-care and sexuality.
•	Care coordinated by a case manager who provides utilization review.
•	Neuropsychological services for brain injury patients.
•	Community outings for teens, which include going to restaurants, shopping malls, sports arenas and even camping, to promote problem solving and the experience of being out in the community in a supportive group.
•	Individual rehabilitation sessions in the same gym area as other teens.
•	An on-staff teacher who keeps patients up-to-date on schoolwork.
•	An innovative school-reintegration program that helps lessen anxiety for teachers, classmates and the newly-injured teen.

Teen Camaraderie
Each year more than 100 adolescents, age 12 to 21, come to Shepherd Center from all over the country. They or their families choose Shepherd for its specialized treatment teams, age-appropriate therapy and expertise in treating teenagers with spinal cord injuries.

The adolescent rehabilitation program follows Shepherd Center's philosophy of returning patients to the highest level of functioning and independence possible, while addressing teenagers' needs for autonomy, privacy and control.

In-Center Academics
Staying on track academically is extremely important for catastrophically injured teens. More than 90 percent of our spinal cord injured adolescent patients return to school within two weeks of discharge. Of those, 95 percent graduate on time with their class and with their pre-injury GPA. For adolescents with a brain injury, 95 percent return to school within three to six months.

Return to School Program
Recognizing that adolescents rely on school experiences and positive peer interactions for much of their self-esteem and growth, Shepherd Center has developed a program to facilitate the back-to-school transition. Designed by the individual patient, the program can include in-school awareness and sensitivity training for school staff and students, as well as instruction in medical issues that may arise during the school day. Support from donors makes this program available to most teen patients at no cost. Click here to view Shepherd Center's Back to School Guide, a booklet of tips and suggestions for teens heading back to the classroom after an injury.

Peer Support
Positive peer interaction post-injury is often a primary concern for adolescent patients, and Shepherd’s program takes into account the very real need teens have to interact with people their own age. Group time is dedicated to discussion of day-to-day issues and potential medical safety issues involved in going out with friends, planning outings where accessibility may be a problem, going back to school, assertiveness, socialization and other matters.

Outings
Shepherd’s campus is ideally situated to provide teens with real-life, urban experiences. Community outings that are restricted to teen participation promote problem solving and also give teens a chance to experience, as a group, the self-consciousness that can come from having a disability. Therapists are on hand to provide logistical and moral support.

Family and Sibling Support
Educating family members about spinal cord or traumatic brain injury and rehabilitation goes a long way in helping both the patient and the family adjust emotionally. A psychologist with extensive adolescent treatment experience is available to meet with family members for this purpose.